At Money in the Bank , the truly unthinkable happened. Seth Rollins defeated Roman Reigns to become the new WWE World Heavyweight champion. After Reigns beat Triple H at WrestleMania 32 , there was constant speculation that Reigns would hold it for a very long time, even if it meant beating CM Punk’s record of 434 days with the belt. It would be in the WWE’s best interest as well since they wouldn’t have to mention Punk’s name for any other reason.
However, the wrestling Gods were with the WWE Universe, and Rollins reclaimed his belt that he truly never lost. At a moment’s notice, Dean Ambrose’s music hit and the crowd erupted in Las Vegas. He cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase to become the new WWE World Heavyweight champion. In one night, all former Shield members were the champion. It’s a feat that will probably never be replicated, but Ambrose, Reigns, and Rollins made history.
Fast-forward 24 hours at Monday Night Raw and the main event for WWE Battleground was set. Reigns would take on Ambrose and Rollins in a triple threat match for the WWE championship. It was the match WWE fans have wanted for years. Now, they finally got it. Shane McMahon made the announcement at the end of the show. Fast-forward another 24 hours and the unthinkable happened. Roman Reigns was suspended .
“WWE has suspended Joe Anoa`i (Roman Reigns) for 30 days effective immediately for his first violation of the company’s talent wellness policy.”
Reigns issued a statement on Twitter regarding his suspension.
I apologize to my family, friends and fans for my mistake in violating WWE’s wellness policy. No excuses. I own it.
— Roman Reigns (@WWERomanReigns) June 21, 2016
Reigns was one of the WWE’s top guys. Surely they wouldn’t get him into any situation that would get him suspended. However, like Vince McMahon has always said, nobody is bigger than the WWE. Reigns’ suspension follows in line with the likes of Eddie Guerrero, Randy Orton, and Jeff Hardy. That’s not to say they all were suspended for the same thing, but the end result was identical.
What does this mean for the WWE Draft, the first live episode of WWE SmackDown , and WWE Battleground ? His suspension will be on day 29 the night of Battleground . Expect Reigns to be there for that pay-per-view. If a rumored leak of the WWE PPV schedule is accurate, it will be a dual show with both brands.
That won’t affect that match, as it was already confirmed by Shane on Monday. The WWE Draft is where things get very interesting. Reigns is a figurehead of the WWE brand. He would’ve been near the top of the draft by a landslide. Clearly, they can’t even mention Reigns. If they want to bring reality into the situation, they can technically draft Reigns even though he isn’t on the active roster. As for the new superstars on the roster, they will get a chance to fill Reigns’ shoes if they decide to have his suspension remain kayfabe.
What Reigns did is inexcusable, and he should, as he mentioned, be embarrassed for his mistake. At the end of the day, it was clearly a lapse of judgment. If the WWE wants to capitalize on his error, they will let him embrace it and turn heel upon his return in 30 days. Ambrose is the white-hot babyface that Reigns couldn’t become.
Rollins will get whatever reaction he wants simply because he is that good. Where does Reigns fit into the equation? He must go ahead and be the heel the fans want him to be. The WWE needs a top heel fighting for the title. Rollins is not that WWE heel. He’s a babyface. Ambrose is a babyface. Roman Reigns needs to be the heel.
[Image via WWE.com]
